Manny Mencia guest speaker for EDC meeting on July 17

Manuel (Manny) A. Mencia is the keynote speaker for the Economic Development Council (EDC) of South Miami-Dade’s Community Outreach meeting on July 17, 8 a.m., in the Third Floor-Palm Room of the Palmetto Bay Village Center, 18001 Old Cutler Rd. Mencia’s topic will be “International Opportunities for Florida Companies.”

Mencia is senior vice president of the International Trade and Business Development unit of Enterprise Florida Inc. Enterprise Florida Inc. (EFI) is a not-for-profit government business partnership established to guide the development of EFI is to support business growth and assist companies in the creation of jobs by coordinating the State of Florida’s eco- nomic development and international trade programs and by promoting Florida as a competitive global business center.

The International Trade and Business Development unit is headquartered in Miami and maintains offices in six Florida cities as well as 14 countries around the world.

Mencia joined Enterprise Florida in 1996. Prior to that, he served as vice president of World Marketing at the Miami- Dade Beacon Council, between 1992 and 1996. He has acquired extensive international trade expertise, having served in various executive positions at the Florida Department of Commerce between 1977 and 1991.

He currently serves as president of State International Development Organizations (SIDO), the national organization of state trade development agencies. He also co- chairs the Florida International Trade Partnership (FITP) and serves on the board of the Florida Export Finance Corporation, World Trade Center-Miami, University of Miami’s Launch Pad and the Florida District Export Council.

In 1990, the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of

Commerce selected Mencia as Government Hispanic Business Advocate of the Year. In 2003, the International Business Council of South Florida named him International Businessman of the Year, and in 2010, he was awarded the International Achievement Award, Florida’s most prestigious award for life- time achievement in international business.

Mencia obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from Florida International University in Education and a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Thomas University in Political Science.

The mission of the Economic Development Council is to support the expansion or retention of existing businesses, to increase the overall economic vitality of communities, and to attract new, diversified businesses and employment to the area. Founded in 1992, the Economic Development Council of South Miami-Dade is a local not-for-profit economic development corporation encouraging the kind of development that creates a better future for both business and residents.